Powers/Abilities: Derek
Hoffman had no superhuman powers, but was knowledgeable on paranormal events
and "fantasy" stories. He also was skilled in the use of a camera.

History: (Avengers Icons: The
Vision#1) - Soon after moving to Queens, New York, Derek Hoffman began chatting
with his friends on the internet about how many horror/sci-fi movies were
based on true stories. His father soon came into the room and unplugged Derek's
computer, exclaiming that Derek needed to make some real friends instead
of living in a fantasy world. Derek angrily claimed that it was somewhat
hard to make friends when he was moving every four months. Derek's father
announced that it wasn't easy to juggle a career in the Air Force and raise
a kid single-handedly. In response to his father, Derek claimed that his dad
just had a desk job and it wasn't like he was like his grandfather, who was
a real soldier until the "gremlins" got him. Derek's dad then told Derek
to stop with the sci-fi stuff and reminded him that his grandfather had been
killed during an engine failure aboard his plane. Derek tried to argue back,
but Derek's dad told him that he shouldn't believe what his mom had said,
as she had not been well during her final years. He then told Derek that
he would try to stay in Queens and then he left Derek's room. After the argument
with his dad, Derek tried to sleep, but was awakened by the appearance of
the Vision on his computer screen saying "Yesterday is tomorrow." Derek then
noticed that his computer was still unplugged and, figuring that the Vision's
appearance was some sort of paranormal activity, snuck out of the house to
get some proof on film. While taking a picture of a graveyard statue, Derek
was surprised to hear the Vision's voice. He then followed the voice to an
abandoned tent, where he saw a mechanical arm stretch toward him. Terrified,
Derek fled through the graveyard until he ran into a support pole under a
bridge, breaking it. The broken pole could no longer support the bridge and
it came crashing toward Derek below. Derek was then saved by the Vision,
who vaporized the falling stone with a blast from his solar gem. Derek, still
scared, ran back into the graveyard until the Vision caught up to him and
claimed to be the "vision of tomorrow."

(Avengers Icons: The Vision#2) - The Vision then told Derek that he
had to "stop it." Confused, Derek asked what the Vision was talking about
and the Vision then repaired Derek's camera, which had been broken when he
ran from the Vision. A surprised Derek then asked if the Vision was a ghost,
but the Vision said that ghosts were not real and explained to Derek that
he was a synthezoid. The Vision also told Derek that his memory had been
downloaded and stolen, and that the only memories he did have were the ones
with his creator, Phineas T. Horton. Derek then looked down to see Horton's
grave and told the Vision that Professor Horton had died. Before the Vision
had time to mourn the loss of his creator, an unmanned helicopter attacked
both him and Derek. As the Vision destroyed the helicopter, Derek dove out
of the way of the falling aircraft. The police soon arrived and their squad
car's controls were overridden, causing the car to lose control and crash
into the Vision. As Derek commented on how the car had started by itself,
an entire group of cars surrounded the duo. The Vision quickly fought his
way through the controlled cars to a nearby car that wasn't being controlled.
In order to figure out what was going on, the Vision stole the car, which
belonged to Derek's father. The Vision explained to Derek that he had to
find the one person who could help him without the Gremlin finding out. Not
knowing who the Gremlin was, Derek told the Vision that he was going too.
Before the Vision could argue, Derek had strapped himself in, while Derek's
father watched in horror as he son was "kidnapped." Derek and the Vision
soon arrived at Professor Horton's former home, where Derek properly introduced
himself to the Vision. While there, the Vision found photos of Horton's
granddaughter, Victoria Anderson and Victoria's acceptance letter to Pennsylvania
State University. The Vision told Derek that the photos and letter were
reassuring data that might help them find Victoria, who could be the only
one that could help him stop the Gremlin. Unknown to either Derek or the
Vision, the Gremlin overheard their conversation due to the phone that the
Vision had accidentally knocked off the hook.

(Avengers Icons: The Vision#3) - While the Gremlin hijacked a plane
to Pennsylvania, the Vision and Derek arrived there via Derek's father's
car. Derek tried to talk to the Vision about his beliefs in ghosts, but the
Vision replied that he did not believe in them. Arriving at Penn State, the
Vision arrived at a fraternity house and scared Victoria Anderson, who was drunk
from the party going on within. Derek tried to explain to Victoria that he
had warned the Vision not to rush in, but Victoria was chalking the Vision
up to too many drinks. While they tried to explain the situation to Victoria, Derek's dad, Steve, had arrived at his military base. As Steve
thanked a sergeant for the ride and the assistance in finding his son, he
was attacked by the Gremlin. Back at Penn State, the Vision and Derek were
still trying to explain their situation to Victoria Anderson. When Victoria
backed away, her necklace glowed and activated a dormant program in the Vision's
mind. The Vision then projected a hologram of Professor Phineas Horton, which
explained what the Gremlin was. Before the hologram could continue, one of
the boys from the party entered the room and disrupted the hologram. Angered,
the Vision threatened the boy and told the others present to leave. Victoria
used the distraction to attempt to leave in her car, but Derek jumped inside
the car and asked if she even heard what the hologram was saying. Victoria
once again tried to act as if the events were not happening. Derek reminded
her that it was happening and that the Gremlins that Professor Horton had
spoken about had killed his grandfather. As they argued, the car doors locked
themselves and the car started. The car then drove off with Derek and Victoria
still inside. It then drove them to the University Park Air Force Base, where
Derek was attacked by the Gremlin, who had taken control over Derek's dad.
The Vision soon arrived to save his friends and found the Gremlin. The Gremlin
then took control over every military vehicle in his vicinity and aimed them
at the Vision.

(Avengers Icons: The Vision#4) - Leaving the Vision to battle the
controlled military vehicles, the Gremlin-possessed Steve Hoffman carried
Derek and Victoria aboard the B-52 Stratofortress, which it intended to use
in a terror campaign. The Vision soon caught up to the Stratofortress and
ripped part of the Gremlin from Steve Hoffman, causing the Gremlin to release
its grip on Steve and escape to the outside of the plane. While the Vision
battled the Gremlin outside, Derek explained to his dad what had been going
on. As the Vision destroyed the Gremlin using his own repair systems, Derek
managed to help his father land the B-52 Stratofortress. The group landed
safely and Derek immediately gave his father a hug. He then hugged the Vision
and told him that his mom would have liked him. The Vision responded that
he was sure he would have liked his mom too. He then told the Hoffmans that
he was happy to know both of them and said his goodbyes. As the Vision left,
Victoria asked him to stay in touch, as they were family, in a sense.

Hoffman-mutant
leader of the militant Brotherhood, @ The Brotherhood#1

Hoffman, Alice-allied with Punisher against Humans Off Planet, @ Punisher
War Journal#31

anyone else named "Derek"

STEVE HOFFMAN

Steve Hoffman was an engineer for the U. S. Air Force who was stationed in
Queens, New York, with his son, Derek. He was raising his son alone, as his
wife had become ill and died years ago. When he and Derek first moved to
Queens, Steve found his son chatting online and unplugged his computer, claiming
that his son needed to make real friends. He then argued with son and went
to bed. While he slept, Derek snuck out of the house and found the Vision,
who was suffering memory damage. Eventually, Steve awoke to see his son get
into his own car with the Vision and speed away. Thinking his son had been
kidnapped, Steve enlisted the aid of a military sergeant to help find his
son. Steve tracked his son to Pennsylvania, where he was assimilated by the
Gremlin. While under the Gremlin's control, Steve grabbed Derek and Victoria
Anderson. With them in tow, Steve hijacked the B-52 Stratofortress and prepared
to embark upon a terror campaign. The Vision soon arrived and removed the
Gremlin from Steve's body. As the Vision battled the Gremlin, Steve asked
his son to help him finding the emergency controls for a manual landing of
the Stratofortress. Thanks to his son, Steve landed safely as the Vision
destroyed the Gremlin. Steve then thanked the Vision for his assistance and
hugged his son.